Gulf War

NBC Poll And Obama Numbers: Potential Trouble For The Future

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The latest NBC poll shows widely varying public opinion views of President Barack Obama.

57 percent like his foreign policy, a tremendous boost after the successful elimination of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan.

52 percent overall like the job performance of Obama, which is higher than it has been since early in his term.

But only 37 percent are happy with his economic policies, and that is a danger sign for the President. And certainly, the GOP is not going to do anything to help change the economic picture, as that is the best issue to use against the President.

With 18 months to the election, one has to think back to the first President Bush, who had 91 percent in the polls after the Gulf War, but collapsed to 37 percent in the actual voting percentage a year and a half later in 1992.

So Obama cannot bask in the glory about Osama Bin Laden’s death, as the truth still is what Bill Clinton used as his campaign slogan in 1992 against Bush–“It’s the economy, stupid!”

Does Osama Bin Laden Success Guarantee Second Presidential Term For Barack Obama?

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As a result of the successful raid into the Osama Bin Laden compound in Pakistan, the first thought would be that it gives President Obama a tremendous edge in the contest for re-election as President in 2012.

But before we conclude that, we need to look at history, whether military success insures a political victory.

In at least three cases, two American and one British, exactly the opposite occurred.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was the great hero of World War II and the struggle against Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. And yet, when the British people voted months after the end of the European war, they chose to vote out the Conservative Party of Churchill and put in as Prime Minister the Labour Party leader, Clement Attlee, who served from 1945-1951.

In 1975, President Gerald Ford mounted a successful rescue mission of 39 US Navy personnel from the ship Mayaguez, which had been seized by the radical Khmer Rouge government of Cambodia. While 41 military personnel died in the successful rescue mission, two more than the number saved, it was still seen as a victory to be able to release the hostages unharmed. But in 1976, President Ford lost to Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia for a full term in the White House!

And in 1991, President George H W Bush was able to mount a UN offensive which defeated Saddam Hussein in six weeks, the very brief Gulf War! Bush’s ratings hit an all time high for any President, 91 percent, but a year and a half later, only 37 percent voted for Bush against Bill Clinton, the second worst defeated President in American history, despite the great and quick victory over Iraq!

So while it would seem likely that Obama gains a great edge for next year’s election by the death of Osama Bin Laden, there is no certainty in any sense of what the future holds!

94th Anniversary Of America As A World Power: Time For Reflection!

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On this day, 94 years ago, the United States declared war on Germany, the Austro Hungarian Empire, and the Ottoman Turkish Empire, as President Woodrow Wilson took us into the First World War on the side of Great Britain, France, Russia and Italy, in a war to promote “democracy”!

Ever since, this nation has debated the virtues and shortcomings of entering that war, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, the Iraq War, and now the Libyan War.

Many have said that we have stretched ourselves thin, seen hundreds of thousands of Americans killed, gone into a tremendous national debt, and yet have not created a safer world for democracy, which is still rare around the world!

This past 94 years is seen by many as an era of the “American Empire”, but which has been detrimental to our national prosperity and growth!

As we recall the sacrifices of our men and women in all of these wars, it is necessary to say we cannot return to “isolationism” as we tried to do in the 1920s and 1930s to our detriment!

But we also cannot be the world’s “policemen” and have troops and bases in more than 100 countries and manage to promote democracy and opportunity at home!

We must realize as a nation that we can only have limited commitments to overseas military adventures, and not allow the “military industrial complex” to promote commitments that we cannot sustain!

We must always remember that while we are the beacon of democracy in the world, we cannot expect everyone worldwide to want to emulate the United States, and we must work to better our own democracy while trying to promote the concept overseas as an ideal, but not one whereby we keep on committing American men and women to die for a cause that is not wholly supported by the people in other nations!

Ironic Coincidence: Iraq War And Libyan Civil War Intervention On Same Day And Timing Within Presidential Terms Of Bush And Obama!

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Now that the United States is engaged in the Libyan Civil War, it comes to mind that the timing of our intervention EXACTLY matches the situation of intervention in Iraq under George W. Bush!

The United States started military intervention in Iraq on March 19, 2003, two years and two months into the Bush Presidency.

The United States began military intervention in Libya on March 19, 2011, two years and two months into the Obama Presidency!

Both wars were against horrible tyrants of long standing–Saddam Hussein since 1979 and Moammar Gaddafi since 1969.

Both tyrants had been engaged in conflict against the US–Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War under George H W Bush, and Moammar Gaddafi in terrorist actions against the West and twice experiencing air attacks under Ronald Reagan in 1981 and 1986, with the second time nearly killing Gaddafi, bombing the house next to where he was hiding!

There is, of course, much different between the two interventions, but both began with great optimism as to the brevity of the war effort, and we all know how Iraq is now eight years long and counting of an intervention, and one has to wonder will this nation be involved in Libya eight years from now?

And there is troubling concern over much congressional opposition, both from Democrats and Republicans, plus concern over the financial cost of yet another war intervention, making it THREE at once!

20th Anniversary Of The Gulf War And Operation Desert Storm!

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It is hard to believe, but it is now 20 years since Operation Desert Storm, the six week Gulf War of the United Nations, President George HW Bush, and General Norman Schwarzkopf, dislodging Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein from Kuwait.

The war was justified, and thankfully, caused few casualties, with 148 deaths and 467 wounded, and about half a million Americans serving in the war, but many other nations participating as well.

This period of the first Bush Administration was a shining moment of leadership, and Bush rightfully has been commended for his courage and principle at this moment of history.

Since the war had limited purposes, criticism that Bush should have had US troops go to Baghdad is unfounded, but conservatives attacked him for keeping to the UN resolution, which Bush believed was inviolable.

Certainly, in the long run of history, George HW Bush will be best remembered for this moment, and plaudits go out to Norman Schwarzkopf, Colin Powell, and imagine this, even Dick Cheney, all of whom handled their responsibilities with perfection!

So this is a time to celebrate that war and thank those who sacrificed for America and the world at that point of history!